Edip Yüksel : biography

1957 -

Edip Yuksel (born 1957) is an intellectual considered one of the prime figures in the modern Islamic reform and Quraniyoon movements. Author of many books on the Qur'an and Islam, he has gained much attention through his works and speeches.Aisha Y. Musa. Hadith as Scripture; Discussions on the Authority of Prophetic Traditions in Islam 2008, ISBN 978-0-230-60535-0.http://www.ox.ac.uk/gazette/2008-9/weekly/301008/adverts.htmJamie Glazov. . FrontPageMag.com, December 04, 2007.

His main aim, as stated throughout his writings, is to spread an Islamic understanding that is rational, progressive, and humanistic, which in his eyes can only be gained through accepting the Qur'an as the only Divine authority.http://deenrc.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/a-reformist-translation-0979671507.pdf. Page 487. He is also a promoter of Theistic evolution, an understanding he gets from science and the Qur'an, instead of the Islamic belief in Creationism.http://deenrc.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/a-reformist-translation-0979671507.pdf. Page 510. Specifically, Yuksel is critical of Islamic creationists such as Adnan Oktar. Yuksel is a former member of United Submitters International.

Next to his activities on Islamic reform, he teaches philosophy and logic courses at Pima Community College. He currently lives in Tucson, Arizona. Yuksel is an ethnic Kurd, and was born in Turkey.http://www.yuksel.org/e/law/kurd.htm

Publications

Yuksel is the author of over twenty books on religion, politics, philosophy and law in Turkish.

He has published many pamphlets and essays in English, most of them put out by the United Submitters press—his former congregation., and has written many articles on his own website and several press-websites.http://www.19.org/?articleshttp://www.opednews.com/author/author24172.html His new publications are with Brainbowpress.http://www.brainbowpress.com/ His official website remains banned in Turkey following complaints by Islamic Adnan Oktar (a.k.a. Harun Yahya).

English

Yuksel has published the following works in English:

The Quran: A Reformist Translation (2007-2012, Brainbow Press, ISBN 978-0-9796715-0-0) The Reformist Translation of the Quran offers a non-sexist and non-sectarian understanding of the divine text; it is the result of collaboration between three translators, two men and a woman. It explicitly rejects the authority of the clergy to determine the likely meaning of disputed passages. It uses logic and the language of the Quran itself as the ultimate authority in determining likely meanings, rather than ancient scholarly interpretations rooted in patriarchal hierarchies. It offers extensive cross-referencing to the Bible and provides arguments on numerous philosophical and scientific issues. It is God's message for those who prefer reason over blind faith, for those who seek peace and ultimate freedom by submitting themselves to the Truth alone.. Product information, Brainbow Press.com.http://www.amazon.com/dp/0979671507 Amazon.com

His translation has been praised by many well-known authors and activists as Professor Riffat Hassan, Dr. Amina Wadud, Dr. Reza Aslan and Irshad Manji.

"A bold and beautiful translation that serves a timely reminder to all believers that the Qur'an is not a static scripture, but a living, breathing, ever-evolving text whose sacred words are as applicable today as when they were first uttered by the Prophet Muhammad fourteen centuries ago." Reza Aslan

"A testament to the fact that faith need not suffocate reason. This is bound to be among the smartest of 'smart bombs' in the battle of ideas within Islam."Irshad Manji